Firing and safety means for breakdown firearms



arch 29, 1949. A. lcuRcl 2,465,432

FIRING AND SAFETY MEANS FOR BRAKDOWN FIREARMS Filed Jan. `1o, 1947 v 2 sheets-sheet 1 1Q 33 280 /g i 7 szwguwmszgzamq 10Q March 29, 1949. A. cuRcl 2,465,432

FIRING AND SAFETY MEANS FOR BREAKDOWN FIREARMS Filed Jan. 10, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 29, 1949 UNH FIRNG AND SAFETY MEANS FOR BREAKDWN FIREARMS 2l Claims.

The present invention relates in general to breakdown firearms, that is to say, firearms of the class in which the butt-unit and barrel-unit are pivoted together for relative movement to permit loading and unloading oi the rearm, the invention relating especially to superior safetymeans for automatically guarding against the accidental or unintentional discharge oi the firearm.

The present application is a continuation-inpart of the co-pending application ci Alfred Curci, Serial No. 579,083, filed February 13, 1945, and now abandoned.

An object of the invention is to provide superior fire-control means for a breakdown rearm.

A still further object is to provide a breakdown firearm with improved iirecontrol mechanism in which superior safety-means is embodied for preventing inadvertent discharge of the irearm, due to a Sudden jar or shock.

A still further object of the invention is to provide superior safety-means for a breakdown firearm whereby the nre-control means is automatically and positively locked each time the firearm is broken for loading and unloading.

A still further object of the invention is to provide superior firing-means for breakdown firearms.

A still further object is to provide superior safety-means cooperatively associated with the i'iring-means of a breakdown rearm, wherein the ring-pin is automatically retracted below the face of the standing-breech by the safety-means after each shot has been fired.

i still further object oi the invention is to provide the hre-control mechanism of breakdown iirearms with safety-means constituting an integral part of the trigger and arranged normally to be held positively in front of the ring-member so as to prevent the forward movement thereof to iiring position, both by the action of a mannelly-operated safety-slide and by the action of a. trigger-locking lever adapted to be automatically actuated by the top-lever whenever the firearm is broken.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all 4features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior art and which are not claimed in any separate application.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation partly in seclin tion of a breakdown type of firearm including the novel features of the present invention, the firingmeans and nre-control mechanism being in the positions these parts assume immediately after the gun has been led and the trigger has been released;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the firearm shown n Fig. i, but with the hammer held in its cocked osition by the scar-trigger assembly and the atter locked by the safety-elements of the iire- Fig. 3 is a similar View of the firearm shown in Fig. 1 but with the hammer in its forward firing position and the sear-trigger assembly in the position it assumes when the trigger has been pulled and before the latter has been released;

Fig. l is an enlarged broken perspective view partly in section of the buttunit showing the safety-means, ring-means and fire-control mechanism oi the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view partly in section oi the novel hammer-spring mounting-l means of this invention;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the displaceable collar or the hammenspring mountingmeans shown in Fig. 5; A

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the trigger including the hammer-locking element associated therewith;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the sear;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the hammer;

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the hammerspring pilot; and

Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the operating- .Y lever for unlocking the barrel-unit and butt-unit.

The particular breakdown rearm herein chosen for the illustration of the present invention includes two maior units l5 and I6 respectively (see Figs. l, 2 and 3), pivot-ed together for relative movement. The rear unit l5 of the rearm may, for convenience of description, be designated as the butt-unit and comprises as its main features a frame El having a buttstock I3 rigidly secured to the rear end thereof. The complementary iront unit i6 of the firearm is designated as the barrel-unit and comprises as its main elements a barrel l and a forearm 2li, the latter being removably secured to the underside of the barrel. The `iorwarol portion of the frame l'i is substantially U-shaped in cross section and comprises a bottom wall 2l Iand spaced parallel side walls which extend upwardly from the bottom wall and provide an open recess or pocket 22 therebetween. lThe recess is adapted to receive the rear end of the barrel-unit and, more particularly, a rectangular barrel-coupling lug 23 formed integral with and depending from the underside of the barrel i9 at the rear extremity thereof.

The forward edge of the barrel-coupling lug is provided with a transverse semicylindrical bearing-surface 24, the forwardly-facing wall of which is adapted to engage and bear upon the periphery of a fulcrum-pin 25 extending transversely of the frame adjacent the forward end of its trough-shaped portion and having its respective opposite ends rigidly supported in the complementary side walls thereof.

The complementary side walls of the frame as well as the bottom wall thereof, merge at their rear ends into a tubular portion 2G having a forwardly-facing apertured standing-breech 2l against which the rear end of the barrel abuts when the firearm is closed. Extending rearwardly from the substantially-tubular portion of the frame are an upper butt-attaching tang 28 and a lower butt-attaching tang y2i] respectively secured at their rear ends to a vertical spacingblock or -pillar 30.

Mounted upon the upper surface of the tubular portion of the frame is an operating-lever 3| having a cylindrically-contoured operating-post 32 (see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 11), adapted to project downwardly through and to have a bearing in a substantially-vertical aperture 33 formed in the top Wall of the tubular portion 25 of the frame. The said operating-post 32 is preferably an integral part of the operating-lever 3-| and is provided with a radial notch 34 in its lower end having a substantially-square operating-shoulder 35 adapted to cooperatively engage the upper end of an operating-lnger 35 which constitutes a substantially-vertical extension of a barrel-unit locking-member 37, the, latter being mounted for pivotal movement upon a transverse pivot-pin 38 which extends crosswise of the tubular portion 26 of the frame and is rigidly supported by the respective opposite side walls thereof. The barrel-unit locking-member 3? is provided with a forwardly-projecting locking-nose 39 adapted normally to extend through an aperture 26B beneath the standing-breech 2 of the frame I1 and to enter a locking-notch 4Q formed in the rear edge of the barrel-coupling lug 23. To this end, a coil-spring li is provided and mounted, as shown, on a transverse pin 42 secured at its opposite ends in the respective spaced parallel side walls of the tubular frame l. The spring 4| comprises an upwardly-and-forWardly-extending arm 43 adapted to engage in a recess 44 in. the rear face of the barrel-unit locking-member 31 at a point immediately below the pivot-pin 3S of the latter. The opposite end of the coil-spring constitutes a leg 45 which extends rearwardly and is formed as an inverted V, the lower extremity of which is adapted to engage in a notch 46 formed in the upper surface of the lower buttattaching tang 29. In accordance with this construction, the force of the coil-spring 4i, acting through its forward arm @3, normally resiliently holds the locking-nose 39 of the locking-member 31 forwardly in the notch It@ of the barrel-coupling lug 23. However, by turning the operatinglever 3| in a counterclockwise direction, which is the conventional direction of rotation of the operating-lever for unlocking the butt-unit from the barrel-unit, the operating-shoulder 35 of the operating-lever post 32 is adapted to engage and displace the operating-finger 36 of the barrellocking member 31 forwardly, thereby moving the locking-nose 39 of the locking-member rearwardly out of the notch 4|! of the barrel-coupling lug 23 against the restraining force of the springarm 43, so as to permit the barrel-unit IG to be rotated about the fulcrum-pin 25 relative to the butt-unit l5 for loading and unloading the rearm. During the relative rotation of the barrelunit and butt-unit, commonly referred to as the breakdown of the firearm, suitable means hereinafter described is actuated to cock the firingmember. Ordinarily the operating-lever 3| will be released immediately following the breakdown of the firearm, whereupon the restraining force of the spring-arm 43 will swing the locking-member 3l back to its normal position, simultaneously returning the operating-lever 3| to its normal position in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the firearm. As the barrel is swung back again to its normal position, its locking-lug 23 will engage the nose 39 of the locking-member 37, camming the latter rearwardly until its nose 35 is opposite the notch 4t] of the barrel-locking lug ,23, whereupon the detent action of spring 4| snaps the nose 39 back into the locking-notch :it of the barrel-lug 23 to securely hold the barrel in its normal ring position.

Referring again to the operating-post 32 of the operating-lever 3|, the lower end of the post is provided with a horizontal slot 4l which is substantially diametrically opposite the notch 34 thereof and intersects the peripheral wall of the post. The longitudinal axis of the slot 4l is parallel roughly to the longitudinal axis of the operating-lever, lwhile the spaced parallel upper and lower walls 48 and i9 respectively thereof are substantially parallel to the underside of the top butt-attaching tang 2t, for the purpose hereinafter described. Extending substantially vertically through the forward end of the slot 47 and adjacent the outer edge thereof is a xed pin 50.

Referring especially to Figs. 4 and 9 of the drawings, the firing-means of the firearm comprises a firing-member or hammer indicated generally at 5|, comprising a head-portion 52 and a claw-portion 53. The head-portion 52 is shown provided with an upwardly-projecting tongue 52!) arranged to engage in a guide-slot 280 formed in the upper tang 28, the front end wall of the guide-slot 28E) constituting a fixed stop adapted to be engaged by the tongue 52B to limit the forward movement of the hammer 5|. The clawportion 53 of the latter is provided at its lower front corner with an integral transverse bushing 54 adapted to pvotally engage in the vertical slot 55 of a post 56 which is secured at its lower end in the lower butt-attaching tang 29, the vertical plane of the slot 55 substantially intersecting the longitudinal axis thereof. The aforementioned transverse pin 42 constitutes the pivotal means for securing the integral 'bushing 54 of the firing-member in the slot 55 and to this end extends transversely through the bifurcations of the slot 55, the outer extremities respectively of the pin 42 being rmly secured in suitable aperf tures in the corresponding side walls of the frame Il. Pivotally secured to the forward edge 59 of the head-portion 52 of the hammer is a ring-pin Si), the rear end of which is provided with an enlarged bifurcated head 6|, the slot of which is adapted to receive the forward edge 59 of the hammer. A suitable pivot-pin 52 is provided for fastening the slotted head 6| of the ring-pin to the hammer, the forward end of the former being tapered to a slender point or nose 63 which is adapted to project through the aperture 64 of the standing-breech 27 of the butt-unit when the hammer is in its forward firing position, as shown in Fig. 3, to re the cartridge. In accordance with one of the novel features of this invention, in this position of the hammer, it is entirely relieved of the resilient force which drives the hammer forwardly from its cocked position to its ring position as a consequence of which the hammer is free to swing backwardly without restraint, as hereinafter described, and thereby to retract the nose of the firing-pin below the front face of the standing-breech, as indicated in Fig. l.

Formed in the forward edge 5S of the hammer substantially immediately below the firing-pin B0, is a recess 593 comprising a downwardly-andinwardly-sloping cam-surface 65, the upper end of which intersects the substantially-vertical forward edge 68 of the hammer. This vertical forward edge E5 immediately above the cam-surface 65 is hereinafter referred to as the breastportion of the hammer. Formed integrally or otherwise secured to the claw-portion 53 of the hammer and preferably on its left-hand side, is a laterally-projecting cooking-lug Si. The latter constitutes one element of the hammer-cooking means and to this end is adapted to be engaged by the crank-arm 88 of a cocking-lever S9 which is pivotally supported at its rear end on the transverse pin l2 of the hammer, the opposite end of the cooking-lever extending forwardly through. the aperture 265 beneath the standing-breech 2l' into the substantially U-shaped portion of the frame forwardly thereof. Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3, the forward end if! of the cooking-lever 69 is adapted to make an articulated connection with the rearwardly-extending end of a cookingnger ll, the forward end of which is pivoted as at 'l2 to the fixed forearm 2i! of the firearm, the finger 'H being seated in and extending rearwardly from its pivot-point 'l2 through a longitudinal slot T3 formed in the outer wall of the barrel-lug 23. It will be evident that when the barrel-unit I6 is pivoted downwardly with respect to the buttunit l5, the rear end of the cocking-inger will engage and elevate the forward end 'lil of the cooking-lever thereby pivoting the latter about its pivot-pin 4Z, whereby its crank-arm 58 is rotated clockwise, as seen in Fig. 4. Engagement of the upper end of the crank-arm 63 with the cookinglug 67 of the hammer 5! will rotate the latter clockwise about its transverse pivot-pin ft2 for cooking engagement with the sear of the nre- -control mechanism hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. xedly secured to the lower buttstock-tang 29 is a strut it, the lower end of which is provided with a depending tenon 725 adapted to engage in a longitudinal axiallyaligned trigger-slot l5 in the aforesaid tang, the tenon E5 being secured therein and at the rear end thereof by a pair of transverse pins or other equivalent fastening-means. The strut 'lll has an upwardly-and-forwardly-extending reach il which is provided at its upper extremity with a longitudinal slot 'F3 in which the upper end of a trigger i9 is pivotally secured, as indicated at 80, the trigger 719 constituting one element of the nre-control means. rThe upper end of the trigger 'I9 is provided with a vertical slot Si (see Fig. 7) which forms right and left bifurcations S2 and il?? respectively and in which a sear fill is adapted to be assembled by the aforesaid pivot-pin Bil. The sear 8d comprises a depending forwardly-projecting nose-portion 85 arranged normally to engage a Sear-shoulder 8B of the hammer 5l to hold the latter in cocked position, as hereinafter described and as shown in Fig. 2. The sear, and in particular its nose-portion 85, is adapted to be held in its forward position with respect to the trigger 'E9 by a resilient-means comprising a coilspring Bl arranged to engage at its forward end in a notch 83 in the rear edge of the sear and at' its rear end in a recess 89 formed in the bottom QE of the trigger-slot 8l. In order to limit the forward pivotal movement of the sear relative to the trigger and to provide means for positively retracting the scar-nose from engagement with the scar-shoulder S6 of the hammer, the sear is mounted in the slot 32 of the trigger so as to be positively retracted rearwardly with the trigger when the latter is pulled, and also to be displaceable rearwardly in the slot independently of the trigger. To this end, the sear is provided with a laterally-extending lip 2l (see Figs. 4 and 8), which is adapted to overlie the upper rear edge of the left-hand bifurcation 83 of the trigger, the lip 9! being provided with a substantially-square shoulder 92 on its underside adapted normally to be held in cooperative engagement with the adjacent rear face of the corresponding bifurcation 83 of the trigger by the force of the scar-spring 8?. In accordance with one of the discoveries of this invention, the scar-spring may be and is p-referably of relatively heavy construction so as t0 more nearly preclude accidental release of the hammer but is not, however, a factor in the weight of the trigger pull, the latter being governed by a trigger-spring 93 which is lighter than the Sear-spring Si and engaged at its forward end in a recess fifi in the back edge of the trigger 'IQ and at its rear end in a recess in the forward edge of the strut l5.. It will be evident that by pulling the trigger rearwardly against the restraining force` of the trigger-spring 93, the engagement of the edge of the bifurcation 83 of the trigger with the shoulder of the sear serves to positively withdraw the scar-nose S5 from the scar-shoulder of the hammer to release the latter. On releasing the trigger, the compressed trigger-spring moves the trigger forwardly and raises the scar-nose up into the path of the hammer-scar shoulder 8f3, as indicated in Fig. 1. when the hammer is moved back into its cocked position, the bottom edge of the Sear-shoulder 3E engages the nose-portion 8E) of the sear and retracts the latter against the restraining force of the trigger-spring, the nose of the scar thereafter snapping into engagement with the scar-shoulder of the hammer to hold the latter in its normal cocked position, as shown in 2.

The hammer 5l is adapted to be urged forwardly from its cocked position to its firing position by the force of resilient-means comprising a coil-spring 96 which is mounted on a pilot 9i provided at its forward end, as shown in Figs. fl and 10, with a head-portion 93 slotted vertically to receive the rear edge of the hammer 5l, the headportion being secured thereto by a pivot-pin 99. The rear end of the head-portion constitutes a substantiall -square shbulder lm against which the forward end of the hammer-spring 96 en- The rear portion of the spring-pilot 9'! is provided with a reduced section ill! comprising two diametrically-opposite flat Sides which form square shoulders lil2 with the extreme rear end portion i533 of the spring-pilot. Referring to 6, straddling the reduced section lo! of the pilot is a disk-shaped collar lil@ having a substantiallyrectangular diametrically-disposed slot M95, the spaced parallel walls of which are adapted to slidingly engage the flat sides of the reduced section IUI of the pilot and to bring up against the shoulders |932 thereof so as to limit the rearward displacement of the collar llll thereon, whereby the latter constitutes a displaceable stop or shoulder for the rear end of the hammer-spring et, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The rear extremity ID3 of the spring-pilot is adapted to slidingly engage in an aperture |66 formed in an upwardly-and-rearwardly-projecting leg |01 of the fixed strut l.

In accordance with this construction, when the hammer is cocked its spring 96 is compressed between the shoulder Hill of the spring-pilot, as the latter moves rearwardly, and the displaceable stop or collar IEM, which is now held immobile against the forward face of the leg H31 of the xed strut 14; for, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the hammer is moved into its cocked position, the rearward displacement of the spring-pilot projects its rear extremity, including the shoulders |02 thereof, entirely through the guide-aperture |95 of the leg |01 to a position rearwardly of its rear face, as a consequence of which the spring load on the collar IM is transferred from the shoulders H32 of the spring-pilot to the forward face of the leg |01. When the hammer is released, the force of the compressed spring 95 propels the hammer forwardly into its ring position (see Fig. 3) in which position the pilot is carried forward sufficiently to bring its shoulders iti' forwardly into engagement with the collar itil, thereby picking up the latter and moving it forwardly an appreciable distance out of engagement with the forward face of the leg Il. 1This position of the hammer is termed its firing position, in which position the point 63 of the firing-pin is projected beyond the face of the standing-breech 21 so as to strike and nre a cartridge in the barrel of the barrel-unit. Moreover, the firing-spring 9G no longer acts on the hammer to hold it in its forward firing position, Since any residual compression force of the spring is now acting lagainst the displaceable stop-collar il!!! which, in turn, is in abutting engagement with the shoulders |52 at the rear end of the spring-pilot itself, as a consequence of which the hammer is relieved of any restraining force and may pivot freely rearwardly a distance corresponding substantially to the distance of the collar |84 from the forward face of the leg-strut |61 (when the hammer is in its firing position) and for the purpose hereinafter described.

Formed in the upper extremity of the leg |01 of the strut is a second aperture or slot |08 through which extends the rear end of a safetyslide |09, the rear end portion of which carries a coil-spring I IIl. The forward end of the safetyslide is engaged in the recess i1 of the operatinglever post 32, and is provided with a concave bearing-surface at its forward edge adapted to engage the eccentric pin t of the operatinglever 3|. The force of the safety-slide spring III), acting at its forward end against a shoulder II| of the slide and at its rear end against the forward face of the leg |01, serves to hold the forward concave edge of the slide in engagement with the eccentric pin 5|), thereby exerting a force on the operating-lever 3| to hold the latter in its normal inoperative position in substantiallyaxial alignment with the axis of the firearm, and to return the latter to its normal position after having been operated manually to unlock the barrel-unit. It will be noted, moreover, that the force of the safety-slide spring IIIJ also holds the slide I 09 upwardly in contact with the underside of the top wall of the upper tang 28, whereby the forward end of the safety-slide constitutes, in

8 effect; a key for holding the post 32 of the operating-lever down in its aperture 33 in the top wall of the frame Il.

Pivotally mounted as at i I2 on the base-portion of the strut 14 and at the left-hand side thereof, is a trigger-locking lever indicated generally at IIS and comprisinga forwardly-extending nger I I4 which is adapted to be moved behind and into abutting engagement with a lug or shoulder I|5 formed integrally with or otherwise secured to and projecting from the corresponding side of the trigger, to lock the latter. To this end, the trigger-locking lever |I3 is provided with an upwardly-extending reach ||6 having a nose-portion |I1 at its upper end adapted to engage in a notch ||8 formed in a conventional safety-slide I i9 mounted on the upper tang of the butt-unit. It will be obvious that by moving the safety-slide rearwardly, the trigger-locking lever I|3 will be pivoted clockwise, as seen in Fig. 1, so as to move the forwardly-extending finger I I4 thereof into abutting engagement with the trigger-lug I I 5, as shown in Fig. 2, to effectively lock the trigger. Intermediate the upper and lower ends of the trigger-locking lever H3 is a rearwardly-extending arm |26 formed integrally therewith and provided at its rear end with a portion bent at substantially right angles and hereinafter termed a bent I2| which is back of the rear face of the strut-leg |01 and positioned substantially opposite the rear end of the safety-bar |09 and immediately adjacent thereto. The latter relationship is provided so that when the operatinglever 3| is rotated in the act of unlocking the barrel-unit and butt-unit, the pin 50 of the operating-lever post 32 will act to displace the safety-bar |239 rearwardly and hence push the rear end thereof against the bent I2| of the trigger-locking lever IIS, as a consequence of which the latter is pivoted rearwardly or in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 2, to elevate its finger I|4 into engagement with the triggerlug IIS to lock the latter. It will be noted that by actuating the operating-lever 3| to displace the safety-bar IBS and the trigger-locking lever I I3 into trigger-locking position, mutual engagement of the nose-portion I I1 of the trigger-locking lever in the notch H8 of the safety-slide ||9 will sumce to automatically displace the latter from its forward firing position rearwardly to its safe position. Moreover, the safety-slide may be moved also from its firing position shown in Fig. 1, to its safe position as shown in Fig. 2, independently of the operating-lever to lock the trigger. As in conventional structures, the safetyslide is provided with a depending-prong |22 having a transverse pin |23 which is adapted to engage the underside of a safety-slide detentspring |24, the latter being provided with a downwardly-projecting crimp on opposite sides of which the pin I Z3 of the safety-slide is adapted to engage in the forward and rearward positions respectively of the latter to hold the safety-slide I l 9 immobile in either position.

Referring again to Fig. '1, an additional feature of the invention is the provision of hammer safety-means associated with the fire-controlV mechanism for positively preventing the inadvertent discharge of the firearm despite the fact that the trigger has been locked by the safetymeans hereinabove described. To this end, the trigger 19 is provided at its upper end with an integral forwardly-extending reach |25, the forward end of which is provided with a portion bent at substantially right angles and hereinafter termed a bent 126. The length of the reach l25 and the disposition of its bent |26 is such that when the hammer l is retracted to its cocked position, as shown in Fig. 2, the bent IZS is substantially opposite, but spaced forwardly of, the breast-portion SG of the hammer, the forward spacing oi the bent 126 being slightly less than the distance required for the hammer to reach its forward iiring position. Thus, assuming the hammer is held in its cocked position by the locked scar-trigger assembly, as shown in Fig. 2, then in the event the nose 85 of the sear 84 should be inadvertently jarred off of the searsnoulder 8S of the hammer, the latter would be released and swung forwardly until its breastportion 56 struck the bent H26 of the locked trigger-reach. Thereupon the hammer would be stopped and positively held by the hammer safety cent lf in a position slightly rearwardly of its ring position, as a consequence of which the nose 53 of the ring-pin would not extend through the aperture E4 of the standing-breech suiiiciently to re a cartridge in the barrel of the firearm. However, in the normal operation of iiring the gun the bent l26 of the trigger-reach will be pivoted downwardly slightly as the trigger is pulled, to a position substantially opposite the recess 590 immediately below the cam-surface 6-5 in the forward edge of the hammer so that the latter and its ring-pin are permitted to move forwardly unchecked into firing position, as shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the safety-mechanism firingmeans and fire-control mechanism of the iirearm may be described briefly as follows. Assuming that the hammer of the firearm is held in its cocked position by the sear Se, as shown in Fig. 2. and the safety-slide is in its off or firing position, then by pulling rearwardly on the tri'fger, the Sear-nose may be positively disengaged from the Sear-shoulder of the hammer to release the latter, whereupon it is swung forwardly forcefully by the compressed hammerspring 9B to project the nose 53 of the firing-pin through the aperture '5d in the front face of the standing-breech 2? for ring a cartridge in the breech of the barrel. At the end of its forward movement which corresponds to its iiring position, the hammer is freed oi any restraint or resistance oiered by the hammer-spring 9S, in the manner described above, and hence is free to be move-:l back or retracted to its position, as shown in Fig. 1, wherein the displaceable collar lili of the spring-pilot is brought up against the forward face of the leg i'! and the nose 63 of the firing-pin til is retracted below the front face of the standing-breech, thereby permitting the nrearm to be unloaded and reloaded without the disadvantages and hazards which accompany a projecting firing-pin. The retraction of the hammer and iiring-pin is effected upon releasing the trigger 79, the force oi the compressed triggerspring serving to move the trigger forwardly, thereby elevating the bent 25 of its reach 25 into camming engagement with the cam-surface of the hammer. Since the latter is unrestrained, it will thereupon be cammed rearwardly by the bent E as the latter rides up on and engages the breast-portion @t of the hammer, iov-'n in Fig. l, simultaneously retracting the nose-portion of the hiring-pin below the forward fac-e of the standing-breach. The operator may now operate the operating-lever 3l to unlock the barrel-unit from the butt-unit and swing the former downwardly relative to the latter without encountering any untoward resistance or hazards. During this action, the articulated connection between the cooking-lever 69 and the cocking-nger 'il pivots the cooking-lever clockwise, as seen in Figs. l, 2 and 3, so as to positively pivot the hammer 5! rearwardly to engage its Sear-shoulder 86 with the forwardly-extending scar-nose 85, the bottom of the shoulder 36 engaging and retracting the spring-held nose of the sear during the initial movement of the hammer, to permit the Sear-nose to snap into engagement with the shoulder SS of the hammer and hold the latter in its cocked position. During the operation of the operating-lever 3| which, as pointed out above, suffices to rotate the barrel-unit locking-member Tl clockwise, to disengage it from the lockingnotch of the barrel-lock 23, the safety-bar |09 will be displaced rearwardly to automatically swing the trigger-locking lever H3 clockwise, so as to elevate its finger i lll into abutting engagement with the trigger-lug H5, to effectively lock the latter, the safety-slide H9 being simultaneously retracted to its on or safe position, and held therein by the safety-slide detent-spring. As a consequence, the trigger is locked and the hammer safety bent l2@ is positively held in front of the breast-portion of the hammer so as to prevent the latter from moving forwardly to its firing position in the event the sear should inadvertently be jarred off the shoulder of the hammer. vThe iiring-rneans and nre-control elements are again in position for ring the gun, which may be done whenever the safety-slide l i9 is moved forwardly to its off or firing position, so as to lower its ringer l lil out of locking engagement with the trigger-lug H5.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. In a breakdown iirearm, the combination with a butt-unit and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in normal axial alignment, including a manuallyoperated top-lever; a firing-member; means for urging said firing-member forwardly into ring position; lire-control means including a trigger, a ring-member stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend in front of said firingmember and a sear carried by said trigger, said sear being arranged normally to engage said firing-member to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; and safety-means including a trigger-locking lever and a safety-bar, said safetybar being cooperatively associated with said toplever and said trigger-locking lever whereby'operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrel-unit and butt-unit automatically actuates said safetybar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to lock said trigger in its normal position and hence positively hold the firingmember stop-element thereof in front of said iiring-vnember thereby to prevent its forward movement into iiring position and the consequent discharge of said firearm by inadvertent disengagement oi said sear from said ring-member.

2. In a breakdown firearm, the combination with a butt-unit and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in normal axial alignment, including a manuallyoperated top-lever; a firing-member; means for urging said firing-member forwardly into ring position; fire-control means including a trigger, a firing-member stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend in front of said firingmember, a trigger-spring arranged normally to urge said trigger forwardly so as to hold its firingmember stop-element in the path of movement of said forwardly-movable ring-member, and a sear carried by said trigger, said sear being arranged normally to engage said firing-member to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; and safety-means including a trigger-locking lever and a safety-bar, said safety-bar being cooperatively associated with said top-lever and said trigger-locking lever whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrel-unit and butt-unit automatically actuates said safety-bar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to lock said trigger in its normal position and hence positively hold the firing-member stopelement thereof in front .of said firing-member thereby to prevent its forward movement into firing position and the consequent discharge of said firearm by inadvertent disengagement of said sear from said firing-member.

3; -In a breakdown firearm, the combination with a butt-unit and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in -normal axial alignment, including a manuallyoperated top-lever; a firing-member; means for urging said firing-member forwardly into ring position; rire-control means including a trigger,

'a firing-member stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in normal position of said trigger to extend in front of said ring-member and a sear carried by said trigger, said sear being arranged normally to engage said firing-member to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked posiof said firearm by inadvertent disengagement of said scar from said firing-member; and a safetyslide operable independently of said safety-bar and arranged to positively actuate said triggerlocking lever to move the latter into locking engagement with said trigger.

4. In a breakdown firearm, the combination with a butt-unit and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in i A,normal axial alignment, including a manuallyv operated top-lever; a firing-member; means for urging said ring-member forwardly into ring position; fire-control means including a trigger,

a firing-member stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend in front of said firing-member and a sear carried by said trigger, said sear being arranged normally to engage said firingmember to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; safety-means including a trigger-locking lever and a safety-bar, said safety-bar being cooperatively associated with said top-lever and said trigger-locking lever whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrel-unit and buttunit automatically actuates said safety-bar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to lock said trigger in its normal posi- -tion and hence positively hold the firing-member stop-element thereof in front of said firing-member thereby to prevent its forward movement into ring position and the consequent discharge of said firearm by inadvertent disengagement of said sear from said firing-member; a safety-slide operable independently of said safety-bar and arranged to positively actuate said trigger-lockinglever to move the latter into locking engagement with said trigger; and a detent associated with said safety-slide arranged to hold the latter and said trigger-locking lever in trigger-locking position as said trigger-locking lever is moved into engagement with said trigger by said safetybar.

5. In a breakdown rearm, the combination with a butt-unit and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in normal axial alignment, including a manuallyoperated top-lever; a firing-member; a spring for urging said firing-member forwardly into its firing position; fire-control means including a trigger, a firing-member stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend in front of said firingmember and a sear carried by said trigger, said sear being arranged normally to engage said ring-member to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; safety-means including a trigger-locking lever and a safety-bar, said safetybar being cooperatively associated with said toplever and said trigger-locking lever whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrelunit and butt-unit automatically actuates said safety-bar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to lock said trigger in its normal position and hence positively hold the firing-member stop-element thereof in front of said firing-member thereby to prevent its forward movement into firing position and the consequent discharge of said firearm by inadvertent disengagement of said sear from said firing-member; and resilient-means associated with said safety-bar arranged normally to urge said safetybar forwardly out of engagement with said trigger-locking lever.

6. In a breakdown firearm, the combination with a butt-unit and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in normal axial alignment, including a manuallyoperated top-lever; a firing-member; means for urging said firing-member forwardly into firing position; fire-control means including a trigger, a ming-member stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend in front of said firing-member and a sear carried by said trigger, said sear being arranged normally to engage said firingmember to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; safety-means including a trigger-locking lever and a safety-bar, said safety-bar being cooperatively associated with said top-ler r ,and said trigger-locking lever whereby operation of said top-lever te unlock said barrel-unit and buttunit automatically actuates said safety-bar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to lock said trigger in its normal position and hence positively hold the firing-member stop-element thereof in front of said nring-member thereby to prevent its forward movement into firing position and the consequent discharge of said iirearm by inadvrrtent disengagement of said sear from said hiring-member; and resilientmeans carried by said safety-bar arranged normally to urge said safety-bar forwardly so as to resiliently hold Said top-lever in normal unitlocking position and to disengage said safety-bar from said trigger-locking lever.

7. ln a breakdown firearm, the combination with a butt-unit and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in normal axial alignment, including a manuallyoperated top-lever; a firing-member; means for urging said liringmember forwardly into firing position; fire-control means including a trigger, a. firing-member stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend in front of said firing-member and a sear carried by said trigger, said sear being arranged normally to engage said firingmember to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; safety-means includinU a trigger-locking lever and a safety-bar, said safety-bar being cooperatively associated with said top-lever and said trigger-locking .lever whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrel-unit'and butt-unit automatically actuates said safety-bar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said triggerlociing lever into engagement with said trigger to lock said trigger in its normal position and hence positively hold the ringmember stop-element thereof in front of said firing-member thereby to prevent its forward movement into firing-position and the consequent discharge of said rearm by inadvertent disengagement of said sear from said iiring-member; and cani-means s .sociated with said ring-member, said cam-means being arranged to be engaged by the said iiring-rnember stop-element of said trigger following the release of said firingmember to retract the latter.

8. In a breakdown rearm, the combination with a butt-unit and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in normal vxal alignment, including `a manuallyoperated top-lever; a firing-member having a breast-portion and a carri-surface beneath said breast-portion; a spring for urging said iiringmember forwardly .into its firing position; firecontrol means including a trigger, a firing-member stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend immediately opposite the breast-portion of said firing-member and a sear carried by said trigger, said sear being arranged normally to engage said firing-member to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; and safety-means including a trigger-locking lever and a safetybar, said safety-bar being cooperatively associated with said top-lever and said trigger-locking leverv whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrel-unit and butt-unit automatically actuates said safety-bar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to lock said er in its normal position and hence positively hold the firing-member stop-element thereof immediately opposite the breast-portion of said firing-member thereby to prevent its forward movement into ring position and the consequent discharge of said rearm by inadvertent disengagement of said sear from said firing-member, the said firing-member stop-element of said trigger being arranged to engage the cam-surface beneath the said breast-portion of said firingmember following the release thereof to retract said firing-member.

9. In a breakdown iirearm, the combination with a butt-unit having a firing-pin aperture and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in normal axial alignment, including a manually-operated top-lever; a firinginember including a ring-pin and having a breast-portion and a cam-surface beneath said breast-portion; a spring for urging said firing- ;iember forwardly into its firing position, in which position said firing-pin is adapted to project through the firing-pin aperture of said butt-unit; fire-control means including a trigger, a firingmember stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend immediately opposite the breast-portion of said firing-member and a sear carried by said trigger, said sear being arranged normally to engage said firing-n ember to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; and safetynneans including a trigger-locking lever and a. safety-bar, said safety-bar being cooperatively associated with said top-lever and said trigger-locking lever whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock barrel-unit and butt-unit automatically actuates said safetybar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to loclr. trigger in its normal position and hence positively hold the firing-member stopelement thereof immediately opposite the breastportion of said hiring-member thereby to prevent its forward movement into firing position and the conse-quent discharge of Said :rearm by inadvertent disengagement of said sear from said firing-member, the said firing-member stopelement of said trigger being arranged to engage the cam-surface beneath the said breast-portion of said firing-member following the release thereof to retract said .firing-member and hence withdraw the said iiring-pin from the ring-pin aperture of said butt-unit.

l0. Tn a breakdown firearm, the combination with a butt-unit and a barrel-unit pivoted vfor movement with respect to said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the said units in normal axial alignment, including a manually-operated top-lever; a firing-member; a spring for urging said firing-member forwardly into its firing position; nre-control means including a trigger, a ming-member stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend in front of said firingmernber; a sear `pivotally supported on said trigger and a sear-spring carried by said trigger and arranged normally to urge said sear forwardly so as to engage said iiring-member and hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; and

safety-means including a trigger-locking lever and a. safety-bar, the said safety-bar being cooperatively associated with said top-lever and said trigger-locking lever whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrel-unit and buttunit automatically actuates said safety-bar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to ylock said trigger in its normal position and hence positively hold the ring-member stopelement thereof in front of said iiring-rnember thereby to prevent its forward movement into firing position and the consequent discharge of said rearm by inadvertent disengagement of said sear from said firing-member.

11. In a breakdown firearm, the combination With a butt-unit and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the said units in normal axial alignment, including a manually-operated top-lever; a firing-member; a spring for urging said iiring-member forwardly into its ring position; nre-control means including a trigger, a ring-member stop-element integral with said trigger and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend in front of said ringmember, a sear pivotally supported on said trigger, a Sear-spring carried -by said trigger arranged normally to urge said sear forwardly so as to engage said firing-member and hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position and a shoulder on said trigger constructed and arranged to cooperatively engage a shoulder on said sear when said trigger is pulled rearwardly so as to positively withdraw said sear from engagement with said ring-member for discharging said nrearm; and safety-means including a triggerlocking lever and a safety-bar, the said safetybar being cooperatively associated with said toplever and said trigger-locking lever whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrelunit and butt-unit automatically actuates said safety-bar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to lock said trigger and hold the firing-member stop-element thereof in front of said firing-member thereby to prevent its forward movement into iiring position and the consequent discharge of said firearm by inadvertent disengagement of said sear from said firing-member.

12. In a breakdown nrearm, the combination with a butt-unit having an aperture in its top wall and a barrel-unit p-ivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in normal axial alignment including a manually-operated toplever, said top-lever having a post provided with a recess in its side wall and arranged to pivotally engage in the aperture of said butt-unit; firecontrol means including a trigger7 a trigger-locking lever movable to engage and disengage said trigger, and a safety-bar, said safety-bar being movably mounted between said top-lever and said trigger-.locking lever and adapted to form a connection therebetween when said trigger-locking lever is disengaged from said trigger whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrelunit and butt-unit automatically actuates said safety-bar thereby simultaneously moving said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to lock the latter; and a spring carried by said safety-bar arranged to hold said safetybar in sliding engagement with the underside of the said top wall of the said butt-unit and normally to hold the forward end of Said safety-bar in the recess of said top-lever post to lock the latter in the aperture of said top wall and the rear end or said safety-bar out of engagement with the said trigger-looking lever.

13. In a breakdown firearm, the combination with a butt-unit having an aperture in its top wall and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking-means for locking the two said units in normal axial alignment including a manually-operated toplever, said top-lever having a post provided with a recess in its rear wall and arranged to pivotally engage in the aperture of said butt-unit; firecontrol means including a trigger, a trigger-locking lever movable to engage and disengage said trigger, and a safety-bar, said safety-bar being movably mounted between said top-lever and said trigger-locking lever and adapted to form a connection therebetween when said triggerlocking lever is disengaged from said trigger whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrel-unit and butt-unit automatically actuates said safety-bar thereby simultaneously moving said trigger-locking lever` into engagement with said trigger to lock the latter; a spring carried by said safety-bar arranged to hold said safety-bar in sliding engagement with the underside of the said top wall of the said butt-unit and normally to hold the forward end of said safety-bar in the recess of said top-lever post to look the latter in the aperture of said top wall and the rear end of said safety-bar out of engagement with the said trigger-locking lever; and a safety-slide operable both manually and by said safety-bar to move said trigger-locking lever into locking engagement With said trigger.

14. In a breakdown firearm, the combination with a butt-unit having an aperture in its top wall and a barrel-unit pivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; of locking means for locking the two said units in normal axial alignment including a manually-operated top-lever, said top-lever having a post provided with a recess in its rear wall and arranged to pivotally engage in the aperture of said buttunit; fire-control means including a trigger, a trigger-locking lever movable to engage and disengage said trigger, and a safety-bar, said safetybar being movably mounted between said toplever and said trigger-locking lever and adapted to form a connection therebetween when said trigger-locking lever is disengaged from said trigger whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrel-unit and butt-unit automatically actuates said safety-bar thereby simultaneously moving said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to lock the latter; a spring carried by said safety-bar arranged to hold said safety-bar in sliding engagement with the underside of the said top wall of the said butt-unit and normally to hold the forward end of said safety-bar forwardly in the recess of said top-lever post to lock the latter in the aperture of said top wall and the rear end of said safetybar forwardly out of engagement with the said trigger-locking lever; a safety-slide operable both manually and by said safety-bar to move said trigger-locking lever into looking engagement with said trigger; and a detent associated with said safety-slide to hold the latter and said trigger-locking lever in trigger-locking position as said trigger-locking lever is moved into engagement with said trigger by said safety-bar.

15. In a nrearm, the combination with a frame;

a fixed strut in said fram-e having a guide-aperture; a ring-member pivotally mounted in said frame; nre-control means including a triggerand-Sear assembly arranged to hold said firingmember in cocked position; and means to urge said firing-member forwardly into firing position when released by said trigger-Sear assembly, said means comprising a link slidably supported at its rear end in th-e guide-aperture of sad strut and having a fastening-.member at its forward end to secure said link to said firing-member, a shoulder at the opposite end of said link, a collar slidably mounted on said link between said fastening-member and said shoulder and arranged to engage said apertured strut, and a firing-member spring mounted on said link, said spring being arranged to engage at its forward end against the fastening-member of said link and at its rear end against said slidable collar to hold the latter in engagement with said apertured strut, said spring being adapted -to be held under compressionv between said fastening-member and' said slidable collar when said firing-member is in cocked position and to be decompressed by the displacement or" said collar out of engagement with apertured strut and rearwardly on said link into engagement with the shoul er thereof following the release of said firing-member and its movement forwardly into firing position thereby to permit said firing-member to swing back freely from its nring position.

16. In a firearm, the combination including a ring-mernber; resilient-means for urging said firing-member forwardly into its firing position, said resilient-means being arranged to be compressed. when said firing-member is in its cocked position and to be deoompressed when said firing-member is in its `forward firing position, so as to free said firing-member and permt the latter to move back freely from its ring position; nre-control means including a trigger having a firing-member stop-element integral therewithand arranged in the normal position of said trigger to entend in fron-t of said firing-member; and 'a seaiactuated -by said trigger, said sear being arranged normally to engage said firingmember to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position and to release said firing-member when said trigger is `pulled to ypermit said firing-member to be moved forwardly by said resilient-means into iiring position, and cam-means associated with said firing-member, said cam-means being arranged to be engaged by the said stop-element of said trigger when said ring-member is 'in its free firing position, to retract the latter.

1'7. In .a breakdown firearm, the combinaton including a ring-member; resilient-means for urging said firing-member forwardly into i-ts firing position, said resilient-means being arranged to be compressed when said ring-member is in its cocked position and to be decompressed when said firing-member is in its forward firing position, so as to .free said firing-member and permit the latter to m-ove back freely from its iiring position; fire-control means including a trigger having a firing-member stop-element integral therewith and arranged in the normal position of said trigger to extend in front of said firing-member; a trigger-spring to hold seid trigger in its normal position; a sear carried by said trigger, said scar being arranged normaly to engage said ring-member to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position and `to release said firing-member when said trigger is pulled to permit said ring-member to be moved forwardly by said resil- 'i8 ient-means into ring position; and a cam-surface on sa-id firing-member, said stop-elementbeing arranged to be urged by said trigger-spring into camming engagement with the cam-surface of said ring-mernber when the latter is in its free firing position, to retract the latter.

1'8. In a breakdown iirearm, the combination including a butt-unit having an apertured` st'aiid ing-breech and a barrel-unit p-ivoted for movement with respect to the said butt-unit; a ypivoted firing-member including a firing-pin; resilientmeans for. urging said ring-meinber forwardly into its firing position to project said firing-pin through the aperture of said standing-breach, said resilient-means being constructed and arranged to b'e compressed when saidy ring-memoer is held in' its cocked position and to be decor-pressed when said firing-member is iny its for ward firing-position so as to free said firing,- nic-mber and permit the latter to swing back freely from its firing position and thereby withdraw said firing-,pin into the aperture of said standing-breech; fire-control means including a trigger having a firing-member stop-element integral therewith, and a trigger-spring arranged normally to urge said trigger forwardly so as` to hold its stop-element in front of the saidI ringmein-ber; a scar carried by said trigger, saidl sear being arranged normally'to engage said ringmember to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; and a cam-surface on said ring-member, said trigger-spring being constructed and' a1-v ranged to urge the said stop-element of saidiv trigger into cammingY engagement with the c'amsurface of said' firing-member following the re.- lease thereof by said sear, to' automatically retract `the said firing-member and hence Withdraw the firing-pin into the aperture of said standing-breech.

19. In a breakdown firearm, the combination including a butt-'unit having an apertured` stand.- ing-b-reech and a barrel-unit pivoted for move"` ment with respect to the said butt-unit; lock-l ing-means for locking the two said. units inf` normal axial alignment including a manually-'operated top-lever; a pivoted ming-member including a firing-pin; resilient-means" for urging said firing-member forwardly into its firing position to project said firing-pin through the aperture of said standing-breech, said resilient-means being arranged to be compressed when said ringmember is in its cocked position and to be deccmpressed when said firing-member is in its forward nring position, so as to free said iringmember and permit the latter to swing back freely from its firing position and thereby withdraw said nring-pin into the aperture of said standing-breech; nre-control means including a trigger having a firing-member stop-element integral therewith; a trigger-spring arranged normally to urge said trigger forwardly so as to hold its firing-member stop-element in the path of movement of said forwardly movable firing-member; a sear carried by said trigger, said sear being larranged normally to engage said firing-member to hold the latter rearwardly in cocked position; safety-means including a trigger-locking lever and a .safety-bar, said safety-bar being cooperatively associated with said top-lever and said tri ger-locking lever whereby operation of said top-lever to unlock said barrel-unit and butt-unit automatically actuates said safety-bar, the latter being arranged simultaneously to move said trigger-locking lever into engagement with said trigger to lock said trigger in its normal position and hence positively hold the firing-member stop-element thereof in front of said firing-member thereby to prevent its forward movement into firing position and the consequent discharge of said firearm by inadvertent disengagement of said sear from said firing-member; and a camsurface on said firing-member, said trigger-spring being arranged normally to urge the said stopelement of said trigger into camming engagement with the cam-surface of said firing-member when the latter is in its free firing position, to retract the latter following the release of the firing-member by said sear and hence to withdraw the firing-pin into the aperture of the standing-breech.

20. In a rearm, the combination with a frame; a firing-member movably mounted therein, said firing-member including a link having a displaceable collar; fire-control means including a trigger-and-sear assembly arranged to hold said firing-member in-cocked position; means to urge said firing-member forwardly into firing position when released by the said trigger-and-sear assembly, said means comprising a firing-member spring. mounted on said firing-member link and arranged to engage at its forward end against said firing-member and at its rear end against the displaceable collar 'of said link; and an abutment xed to rsaid frame rearwardly of said firing-member, said abutment constituting a stop for said collar and having a guide-aperture therein for accommodating the rear end of said link as said firing-member is moved rearwardly relative to said abutment, said spring being adapted to move said collar against the stop-abutment as said link is displaced rearwardly relative to said collar and to be compressed between said collar and the rearwardly-moving firing-member as the latter is moved into cocking engagement with said trigger-and-sear assembly, said spring being decompressed on release of said firing-member by bodily movement of said link forwardly with said firing-member out of engagement with said abutment and by the attendant displacement of said collar rearwardly on said link thereby to permit said firing-member to move back freely from its firing position.

21. In a firearm, the combination with a frame; a firing-member movably mounted therein, said firing-member including a link having a displaceable collar; fire-control means including a trigger-and-sear assembly arranged to hold said firing-member in cocked position; means to urge said firing-member forwardly into firing position when released by the said trigger-and-sear assembly, said means comprising a, firing-member spring mounted on said firing-member link and arranged to engage at its forward end against said firing-member and at its rear end against the displaceable collar of said link; an abutment fixed to said frame rearwardly of said firingmember, said abutment constituting a stop for said collar and having a guide-aperture therein for accommodating the rear end of said link as said firing-member is moved rearwardly relative to said abutment, said spring being adapted to move said collar against the stop-abutment as said link is displaced rearwardly relative to said collar and to be compressed between said collar and the rearwardly-moving firing-member as the latter is moved into cooking engagement with said trigger-and-sear assembly, said spring being decompressed on release of said firing-member by bodily movement of said link forwardlyv with said firing-member out of engagement with said abutment andby the attendant displacement of said collar rearwardly on said link thereby to permit said firing-member to move back freely from its firing position; and a shoulder at the rear end of said link constituting a stop to limit the rearward displacement of said collar thereon.

ALFRED CURCI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

